Lubricator



April 7, 1925.

L. A. eooaow LUBRICATOR Filed July 25, 1921 R. N Hm W w L HIS ATTORNEY.

' Piutented Apr. 7, 1925.

- UNITED STATES PATENT, orrica.

: LOUIS A. eonnoma, or HOUSTON, Texas.

nunmcmron.

Application filed July 25;

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, Loms A. Gonnonn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, Harris County, Texas, have in- 5 vented ascertain new and useful Improvement in Lubricators, of. which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, shchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in lubricators forroller earth boring drills. It has to do particularly with the means by which the lubricant is forced throu h the ducts of the bit to the bearings of t e bit 1 during the operation thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a means for forcing the lubricant from its container to the bearings -b gas pressure.

flow of the lubricant to the bearings according to the s eedof rotation of the drill.

These an other objects and advantages ,tion which follows; Referring to' the drawings herewith, wherein like numerals of reference are applied to like parts inthe several views; Fig; 1 is a centrallongitudinal section of a drill stem and drill with my improved lubricator attached thereto. Figs. 2' and 3 are central longitudinal sections and top plan views respectively of a preferred type of gas container or generator to be used with my device. I

In the drilling of wel-ls'for oil, water, gas, sulphur, etc., it is customary to flush away the cuttings disintegrated by the action of the rotary cutters, and to carry the cuttings.

upwardly in suspension, by a stream of fluid pum ed downwardly from the surface through t e drill stem. The drill in opcrat Another object is to regu ate the rate of.

will more clearly appear from the specifica-.

of the barrel 7 and the cap 13.

1921. Serial No. 487,441.

pressure of the hydrostatic head of flushing water. I e a One embodiment. of m invention, by

means of which I accomplis this purpose, is

shown in thedrawin s where I have shown a well known type of rock bit comprising a head 1 having cone-shaped roller cutters 2 at the forward end :thereof. The upper threaded shank 3 of the bit is connected by means of the drill collar t to the drill-stem 5. A'small upstanding nipple 6 on the upper end of the-shank 3 is threaded for the attachment thereto of a coupling 8, through which a lubricator barrel the head. I

The coupling 8 has a small oil passage 9 therethrough, said passage being formed with a rotatable valve 10 therein to control the flow of fluid therethrough. Adjacent the lower end of the lubricator barrel is a transverse late 11, having an opening therein furnis in a seat for a downwardly o ening automatlc valve 12. Ducts 15 in t ehead of the bit carry lubricant from the lubricator to the bearings of the cutters 2..

The upper end. of the barrel is threaded is coupled to externallyfor the attachment-of acap 13.

Below this cap and resting on the upper surface of the lubricant, I may employ a piston'14.

To exert a ressure on the piston, and thus force it ownwardly upon the oil, I contemplate using the pressure of a gas. A

container for gas under pressure is shown at 16 at the upper end of the lubricator bar- 'rel. It has an outwardly flaring marginal flange 17 at its upper end by means of which it may be clamped betweenthe upper end small lateral opening 18 serves to allow passage of gas from the container to the space above the piston.

Within the container 16 and immediately below the opening 18 is a diaphragm 19' forming a c1osure for the upper end of the said container. The space below this diaphragm may be used as a receptacle for a,

gas under high pressure if-desired but I contemplate generating gas therein during i the progress of the drilling. This I accomplish by providing a small chamber 20 withm the container, this chamber having a perforated bottom 21 therein slightly above the open lower end thereof. The upper end of the chamber is closed but is provided with cator, but when the pressure becomes too a valve chamber 22, having rotatable valve 23 therein. The valve 23 is perforated cen trally to a point midway thereof and has a dianietral passage 24 connecting with the central bore. This assage is adapted to register with an opening in the valve chamher when the valve is turned in the proper direction, thus allowing a passage of gas from the chamber to the space above, in the container 16.

The valve 23 is controlled in its operation by a governor comprising a laterally extending arm 25 having a ball 26 on the end thereof. The rotation of this arm about the pivot formed by the valve is limited by two upstanding pins 27 and 28. It is normally held in contact with the pin 27 by the action of a spiral tension spring 29. When held in that position the valve passage 24 is closed and no gas escapes.

The generation of gas in the chamber 20 may be accomplished by the use of calcium carbide or some similar compound shown at 30. The space without the chamber 20 is filled with water so that the tendency will be for the water to enter through the perforated plate 21 and to thus come into contact with the carbide and cause the generation-of gas. If the valve is then closed,,the pressure of the gas will become great enough to force the water back out of contact with the carbide so that no further gas will be generated.

When my device is used on a rotary drill of the type shown, the gas generated by the contact of water and carbide will have forced the water back until no further gas is being produced. The valve 23 will be in closed position due to spring 29. When the drill is rotated, however, the valve will be radually opened. The rotation of the drill is in clockwise direction viewed from above. There will be a tendency of the weight of the governor to lag behind the drill as the drill rotates and this will force the lever arm 25 over toward the in 28 against the action of spring 29. s the valve opens, allowing the escape of gas to the space in the lubricator above the piston,

V the pressure will gradually become reat enough to force the piston slowly own upon the oil and feed it to the bearings against the prewure of the head of fluid in the hole. will be opened widest when the rate of rotation of the drill is greatest, thus providing a greater amountof lubricant when it is most needed. The escape of gas from the chamber 20 will decrease the pressure there and allow water to ter and generate more gas and the gas wilhe continuously generated as long as it continues to escape. There might be a point reached where the pressure would be excessive within the lubri It will be noted that the valve great it will again force the water back away from the carbide and thus cause the generator to cease to function, thereby relieving the increase of pressure for awhile. Where stored gas under pressure is used, the whole container below the diaphragm 19 is stored with gas. The rotation of the drill will act to control the valve 23 and thus allow the feed of the gas to the lubricator in the manner described during the rotation of the drill stem. The size of the valve opening 24 will be regulated to allow the escape of gas at the rate required.

When the drill is being introduced into a hole, having a head of fluid therein, the upward pressure of the-head of fluid will act to seat the valve 12 and prevent the forcing of mud to the lubricator barrel. When the rotation of the drill stem begins the gas will be admitted to the lubricator barrel and lubrication will begin. The advantage of this construction lies in the fact that the lubricant will be positively fed to the bear ings when the drill is rotated. Until then there will be no loss of lubricant because there will be no pressure on the piston thereon. The faster the rotation, up to a certain limit, the faste will be the feed of lubricant due to the fact that the valve will be fully 9 open and admitting gas rapidly to the lubricator. There will thus be no opportunity 1 for impurities to get into the oil and clear lubricant is assured.

Having thus described my invention, the further advantages of which will now be clear, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a roller boring drill, the combination with a head .having rotary cutters mounted on bearings thereon, of a lubricator barrel on said head, ducts therefrom constantly open to said bearings and means in said lubricator barrel to exert a gas pressure on the lubricant in said barrel to force it continuously through said ducts to said bearings. 1

2. In a roller boring drill, a drill head, cutters rotatable on bearings thereon, a Inbricator on said head, ducts open from said lubricator to said bearings, a piston in said lubricator, a gas container above said piston enclosed in said lubricator and means to govern the discharge of gas from said container to the space above said piston.

3. In a roller boring drillfa, drill head. cutters rotatable on bearings thereon. a. lubricator barrel on said head adapted to feed lubricant to said bearings, a container above the lubricant in said barrel for fluid under pressure, said container having a valve controlled opening therefrom. and means actuated by the rotation of said drill to govern the operation of said valve.

4. In a roller boring drill, a drill head,

rotatable cutters mounted' on bearings on said head, a lubricator barrel on said head,- duets therefrom to said bearings, a container in said barrel at the upper enduthereof, means therein to generate gas and a governor controlling the passage of gas from said container to said lubricator barrel..

' 5. In a roller boring drill, a lubricatorfor the rollers thereon, comprising a lubricator valve controlled passage from said container 1 gas contamer, a passage from said container to said lubricator barrel, a valve therein, a governor for sand valve comprising a lever arm, a weight on said arm, and means to .hold said arm and valve resiliently'in closed position, said valve being adapted to open on the rotation of said drill.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature, this the 2nd day of July, A. D.

' LOUIS "A.- GODBOLD. 

